Over the last few years I’ve finally started to think about decorating my home in a different way. I’m really trying to incorporated objects from my past into my home in an artful way.

This sign hung in a snack bar/bar that my family owned when I was a kid. I worked at the lunch counter and probably made a few thousand Kee burgers in my day. I was so glad my mom kept it when she sold the place. I salvaged it from my mom’s garage a few years ago.

It now hangs in a place of honour in my kitchen.

I’ve had this idea kicking around for years and finally got r done today.

If you can’t make it out, it’s a collection of ticket stubs from some of my favourite shows I’ve seen. I’ve framed them and now I need to decide where to hang it. Or maybe rest it.

I’ve also displayed old children’s books. I have a set of Winnie the Pooh books that were my mothers. They sit on my computer desk. I have several Cat in the Hat books that I need to find a place for too. I keep buying them when I find them at second hand stores even though my dd is well past the age where she wants them read to her at bedtime. I can’t help myself. If it’s one I already have I gift it to little kids in my life. Spread the love I say.

My favourite art in the house right now is my records. I bought these frames from Michaels for cheap and I just love having the old albums on display. I can change them up and display different ones later. I have a pretty good selection to chose from.

One of the things that I did on the cheap that I’m most happy with is this dining buffet that I’ve used for my TV. The cabinet on the wall above was suppose to sit on the bottom part. I had some of the base cut off and we hung it above.

The pictures are of my granddad’s farm. The record player was purchased from Canadian Tire. I picked up the record holder from a local antique store for about $10 . I went looking for the clock and found it at an antique store. Some days you just put the thought out there and the objects find you. Sweet. I think it cost about $30.

I bought some old music sheets in Bala Ontario about 25 years ago and finally framed them this year. What better place to hang them then over a piano? Sometimes it takes years before a plan comes together.

Sorry for all the glare going on, but it’s the best I could seem to do for now. No custom framing for me, I search until I find the right frames. These are from Walmart for around $15 each I think. Cheap people have to learn to be patient sometimes.

Yes, lately I’ve been attracted to tea towels. I scan the racks at Value Village and I especially love the calendar ones. Bought myself a cutie from 1987.

I’ve been pursuing Spoonflower recently and was finally enticed to buy some awesome tea towels. This site has totally unique stuff. I ordered this one and this one. They arrived rather quickly and now I’m in the process of edging them for Christmas gifts. The online support was super helpful with a couple of questions I had as to size and fabric type. For just $1 I ordered a fabric sample pack which will come in handy next time I order, and I will. I even received a very nice email from the designer, thanking me for my purchase. I ordered the linen cotton canvas for my tea towels. They haven’t been washed yet but, I’ll report back as to how they work for absorbency. These towels are so cute though, I wonder if the gift receivers will even want to use them.

Here’s a peek before hemming.

And here they are finished.

I did a 1/4 inch double hem along all sides. Simple.

I highly recommend Spoonflower. There are many more prints on my wish list for the new year.

I’m following Apartment Therapy’s Home Cure and was inspired to create a post. Today’s assignment was to buy fresh flowers for our homes. I wasn’t able to accomplish this today, but I was able to go cut some fresh plant material in my garden. We’ve had a couple of frosts here already but, these herbs and chinese lanterns have survived so far. I believe this is lemon balm.

The Cure has those following complete 20 minute home projects to help make our homes a little more lovelier. Yesterday involved a 20 minute clean of one room. I was already cleaning yesterday, but took some solice in the fact that I wasn’t alone in my chores.

I’ve been wanting to make a floor cloth forever. Well, this house tour thing got me going. That and the fact that my hardwood floor needs to be refinished and I’m just not into moving everything right now. I’m lucky that I received the vinyl remnant as a work perk. I asked for the ugliest one with a paper backing and received a nice large piece. I cut it to a five foot square approximately.

( As you can see in this picture I have already primed, painted and starting drawing my design on it.)

I then primed it with Fresh Start ( a high adhesion latex primer from BM). Next I used some white flat latex (cause that’s what I had on hand and I knew I would be coating the whole thing in latex urethane so it didn’t matter what finish I used at this point).

I made my shapes using my mouse pad as a guide.

I made this stencil from bristle board and drew around it with a pencil on to the floorcloth. I measured to keep things fairly even.

I then used black latex paint that I already had to paint my design.

Everyone got involved.

The cat hair adds texture.

Next I painted red in some of the centres. I chose every other square in every other line. I then put about four coats of Stays Clear (BM latex urethane in Low Lustre) on it..

I’m very happy with how it turned out. I’ve been weighing down the edges with heavy books and it’s made a big difference to the waviness.

After years of waiting for this room to be built I’m finely getting very close to finishing my sewing room. I’ve mentioned before that I have agreed to be part of the local house tour this June. I knew this would motivate me to put the finishing touches on my house and complete some projects that need doing.

Today, I made two pillows for the pull out sofa in this room and I love the way they turned out. I used some bark cloth from a set of old curtains I picked up at a junk store and part of a chenille bedspread which I dyed hot pink quite some time ago. I used some Belle fabric from Amy Butler and some Lotus on the back of the floral square pillow.

I made the curtains last week and sewing on that jumbo rickrack just about did me in. I know there is probably easier ways to do it but, that’s not my way. I machine sewed down both edges, zigzagging back and forth along the way. Crazy, I know.

I made the bird cutout from some vintage wallpaper left over from my husband’s parent’s cottage. I have a case of assorted patterns.

I also repainted this bookcase which my friends so kindly donated to me. I used stem green from Benjamin Moore and I used the new Aura paint in Satin. Covered well and looks great…To me.

I’m really happy with how things are turning out and can’t wait to get some serious sewing done here.

The other side of the room is nearly done and I’ll take pictures when I’m happy with it.

Well the sew- in turned into a project-in, but that’s okay. I felt really good about getting these projects completed. I hung twp roman blinds. They are my Ikea hack. There is a really good website where you can find many more creative hacks here, but this is my hack. I bought these Ikea curtains and made them into blinds. Not extremely clever, but it solved my problems.

I’m only showing one because the other is exactly the same. I need to add weight rods, they are a little bit slouchy just yet.

I also worked on framing and hanging a collection of arrowheads and a picture of the farm where the arrowheads were found.

I’m really happy how this grouping turned out. The shelf holds some artifacts found on the same farm. One of the arrowheads was actually found on our farm here in Bobcaygeon. These were my father-in-laws and they have been left to my husband. I pinned short descriptions under each arrowhead as to where it was found, by whom and when. I’m glad I joined this “sew-in” even if I didn’t sew this time. I do have a little more room in my sewing room though and maybe I can get at the next round of projects a little easier.

I’m happy with how this project has turned out. I’ve raised the bed a little to give myself more storage underneath. Scrapbooking gear will find a home under there. (I just made you say underwear) . Never mind me.

I had these little cross stitched dog pictures in my mudroom. The mudroom is a little over decorated. I crime I will admit to wholeheartedly. I like them in this new place. Moving them has been like purchasing them all over again. This might be a revelation for me. I could save hundreds of dollars moving my stuff around.

There are a few touch ups to do since hauling this beast upstairs resulted in a couple of bumps and bangs. Oh well, the list gets shorter…then longer again. That’s life.

I’m also very happy with the pillows. I’m still rethinking sheet colour though. I’d love white but, husband is hard on white. Ummm. Maybe I could use white pillows and train him to remove them before bedtime. ?

I need a bed skirt and have been researching this. A tailored white skirt seems to be the one for me. I’ll likely be unhappy with the quality of pre-made skirts I can afford, so I’ll be putting yet another item on my to make list. Luckily the fabric store nearby is having a huge sale and price shouldn’t be an issue. Time is the issue, because I’ve formally agreed to putting the house on a local house tour. I keep putting them off every year, but this is it. I figure it will push me to get things done. Many many things done.

While I wait for someone to hang my new headboard, I thought I would make some new pillows so the transformation of the room would be more impressive.

I went to Ikea the other day. I am worried that my bedroom is becoming a little too ikeafied but, I couldn’t resist the funky patterns and the PRICES. wow. My daughter noted that I am using more black. She is worried I’ve left all colour behind. I think the red stairs should keep me going for a while though.

Anyways, I made this.

And then I thought I should add some buttons because it was pulling a little on the back where the envelope closes. I grabbed some buttons from my handy stash

and voila.

I think I like the back better than the front!

I found the damask print at Fabricland and the other at Ikea. I wasn’t sure about putting them together but, now I like it. I’m very excited about how these will look with the new headboard. Better get to work on a couple more…

I bought these old tin ceiling tiles several years ago. They have been hanging around the basement and sometimes the barn for many years. I finally had the time and man power to use them for a new head board.

I designed a fairly simple project here. I wanted it done quickly and as cheap as possible. We have had the pleasure of having a handy man for the past few months. He is able to help my husband with the farming, horse barn building and me around the house. He hangs things, pictures, quilts, lighting, shelves and whatever I need him too. I have been taking advantage of his skills and thought he could handle a small furniture build.

I was busy so he primed and painted the tiles silver. This is something I don’t often allow others to do. I am admittedly a paint nazi. After priming the first time we saw that they needed a little extra steel wooling. (yes, I created a new term)

Anyways, he did a fine job and then he attached them to a 1/2 inch piece of plywood. He left 5 1/2 inches top and bottom and 3 1/2 inches on the sides. He attached 1/2 thick pine boards across the top and bottom and then the sides. From there he attached a board across the top which projects 1/2 inch out. Under that he put a small piece of trim to finish it.

This isn’t the greatest picture. It has been raining and and it really overcast today. They are shiny but that will reduce a little with time.

This is what I see when I look over my shoulder from the computer. Lovely view. It’s really not such an orangy red in person.

I can’t wait to hang the red and white quilt but, alas I must. I need to get a piece of wood cut for mounting. Where is everybody?

UPDATE: Quilt has been hung.

Have I mentioned I believe there is a conspiracy in my family to keep me from actually finishing all decorating projects… well I have evidence.

here kitty kitty..mommy needs to talk to you

Yeah, when I touched up the white, he walked through that too. Give me strength.

Cindy from Random-Charm said something in her comment on SMS, about painting that really made me think. She mentioned she grew up in a military family and they didn’t live in houses that they owned so her family never really painted their homes for themselves. I on the other hand spent 18 years in one house, then 6, and now 18 years in this house. Wow I’ve never looked at it like that before. My mother loved to decorate. She was and still is always painting, wallpapering,refinishing, sewing and crafting. Her brother owned a paint store and she worked there from time to time. And can you guess where my part time job is?… wait for it… a paint store! Decorating has really been a big part of my life. When we where kids my parents use to buy houses fix them up and sell them. I can’t tell you how many rooms I’ve painted. I still paint for family and friends but usually only if they let me pick the colours. Really. I sometimes am amazed by people who buy furniture and decorate like once in 30 years. wow eh? Not for me. Just think of all the money I’d have if I didn’t decorate constantly. I really do it to help the economy though. You can thank me later.